The Cabildo de Tenerife will prohibit pilgrims and other pedestrians from using hiking trails and forest tracks leading to the municipality of Candelaria from Thursday, 13 August 2026, at 6pm. The closure will remain in place until the alert level declared by the Gobierno de Canarias over wildfire risk is lifted.
The island council says the precautionary measure is prompted by the combination of prolonged high temperatures, increased fire risk and the traditionally heavy use of routes around the August festivities of the Virgen de Candelaria . The aim is to minimise risks in woodland and mountainous areas and ensure access for emergency services.
The order specifically covers “senderos y pistas forestales”. The Cabildo recommends using regular roads as a safe alternative, as well as the traditional Camino Viejo de Candelaria starting at the Ermita de Machado in the municipal area of El Rosario. The advice is intended to direct larger groups of pilgrims towards routes with a lower fire risk and avoid disruption to emergency response.
The situation is classified by the Dirección General de Emergencias of the Gobierno de Canarias. Crisis management is based on the Canary Islands’ wildfire plan INFOCA , which provides for alert and pre-alert levels depending on weather conditions. According to the regional administration, high temperatures and dry vegetation are currently creating an elevated risk, particularly in Tenerife.
Facts: A temporary closure has been ordered for access routes in the mountainous and wooded areas around Candelaria from 6pm on 13 August 2026, to remain in force until the alert level is lifted. Attributed reason: the precautionary measure is due to weather conditions, the state of the vegetation and the expected use of the routes during the Virgen de Candelaria festivities. Implications: Pilgrims are likely to divert to roads, allowing authorities and emergency services to focus traffic management and fire prevention. Forecast: The duration of the restrictions depends on further weather conditions and the formal lifting of the alert by the Gobierno de Canarias.
The decision is primarily a fire-prevention and safety measure. It is intended to protect people, nature and forest areas as a precaution, without generally prohibiting the religious programme in Candelaria. The situation is to be reassessed in light of temperatures, wind and humidity.
Editor: Andreas M. Brucker (Article created with AI assistance).